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Manheim Township highlights staff clinic as retention tool; district to track savings after first full year
Summary
District leaders reported early usage and positive staff feedback for the HealthWorks employee clinic, which enrolled 679 eligible employees and logged 823 primary-care visits; officials said cost savings are expected after a full calendar year of claims data and pledged additional staff feedback collection.
The Manheim Township School District told its facilities committee that an on-site employee clinic is already being used by staff and could help contain health-care costs once a full year of data is available. District officials said the clinic was sited at the district office to meet zoning rules and to serve employees, and that it adds services ranging from same-day primary care to counseling and specialty referrals.
"In the 24-25 fiscal year, our spend reached $10,300,000, which makes up 8.4% of our entire budget," said a district presenter, describing the financial context that prompted the clinic. Presenters said 679 employees are eligible or enrolled and reported 823 primary-care visits since the clinic opened; they also said more than 300 unique staff members had used HealthWorks.
The clinic operator and district staff highlighted counseling access as a distinct benefit: counselors operate under a limited-time model (about 10 sessions on average) intended to help staff address near-term concerns. The district also said the clinic held multiple flu clinics this fall and administered roughly 200 vaccinations in outreach events.
District staff described the Spruce app, which allows staff to send photos and short messages to clinicians, as a high-value convenience: presenters said roughly 37% of employees have downloaded the app and that many encounters are resolved through messaging or virtual visits. "All of our employees are immediately enrolled in the program when they join our benefit plan," one presenter said, adding that utilization has climbed month to month.
Board members asked how the district will collect broader staff feedback beyond the operator's internal surveys and how to ensure access for employees at sites with more constrained schedules. Officials said principals work to enable access and that the district will develop plans to gather aggregate feedback during the school year.
The board heard several public comments praising the clinic. Samantha McNally, speaking for the Manheim Township Education Association, thanked HR director Kate Ward and COO Donna Robbins for including staff in planning. Multiple teachers described same-day visits and follow-up as reasons the clinic helped them avoid sick days and remain in the classroom.
The district said cost savings are unlikely to be visible until claims can be compared across a full calendar year, but staff called the clinic a strategic investment in retention and a complement to other cost-management tools. Officials said the district will return with additional utilization and financial data as it becomes available.
